1920s & 1930s Timeline

Spanish flu first obseved at Fort Riley, Kansas

Spanish FluFirst spotted in America at Fort Riley, Kansas on March 4, 1918, the Spanish flu was a worldwide pandemic lasting from March 1918 to June 1920, taking between 50 and 100 million lives. An estimated 3 to 6% of the world’s population of 1.6 billion had been killed, and a further 500 million or 1/3 of the world’s population had been infected. Killing 50,000 in Canada, the flu caused an overreaction of the immune system known as a cytokine storm, mainly killing those with strong immune systems.

Nov 11th, 1918

Armistice of World War 1

On 11:00 A.M on November 11, 1918, an armistice was created between the Allies and the Germans, signaling a stop to the Great War.

May 1st, 1919

Winnipeg general strike begins

Winnipeg general strikeStarting on May 1st 1919 and spanning until 11:00 A.M. of June 26, 1919, the Winnipeg general strike was one of the most influential strikes in Canadian history, with the intention on earning rights for Canadian workers through a series. Due to the cost of living raised because of WW1, wage increases were requested, but denied. Starting from municipal electrical workers, water-work and fire alarm employees joined a few days later, shutting off many services and industries.

Sep 2nd, 1919

League of Indians of Canada's first meeting in Congress

The League of IndiansThe League of Indians is a group of Aboriginals that have to goal to “bring understanding and equality; to unite all Nations and to overcome all obstacles through information and education.” On September 2, 1919, they had held their first Congress noting that they had wished to have the right to claim and demand more justice in the rights of all Aboriginals in Canada, and to have absolute control in disposing or retaining possession of their lands.

Dec 29th, 1921

William Lyon Mackenzie King serves for the first time as Prime Minster of Canada

William Lyon Mackenzie KingBorn on December 17, 1874, William Lyon Mackenzie King was the 10th Prime Minster of Canada representing the Liberal Party of Canada. Serving from September 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; September 25, 1926 to August 6, 1930; and October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948, King was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s to the 1940s. Being a workaholic, he lacked charisma, human relations, and close personal friends, King died on July 22, 1950 from pneumonia.

Jan 11th, 1922

First clinical test of insulin extract

Leonard ThompsonIn the summer of 1921, Dr Fredrick Banting, Charles Best, Professor J. J. R, Macleod, and James Collip discovered insulin, the only effective treatment for diabetes today. On January 11, 1922, Canadian, Leonard Thompson, a diabetic 14 year old, was given the very first injection of insulin. Suffering from an allergic reaction to the impure insulin, further injections of insulin were canceled. On January 23, James Collip gave Thompson an improved dose of insulin, which was a success.

Jul 1st, 1923

Chinese Immigration (Exclusion) Act put into effect

Chinese Immigration act 1923Passed by the Parliament of Canada in 1923, the Chinese Immigration act of 1923 banned most forms of Chinese immigration to Canada. On July 1, 1923, the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923 was put into effect, banning Chinese immigrants from entering Canada, in exception to foreign students, diplomats, traders, and special circumstances. Until May 14, 1967, where it was repealed by the Canadian Parliament, the act was in effect.

Apr 1st, 1924

The Canadian Airforce becomes the Royal Canadian Air Force

Royal Canadian Air ForceThe Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) was Canada’s air force from 1924 until 1968. In 1920, a Canadian Air Force was established in Canada, mainly concerned with civil operations and flight training. In 1924, the Canadian Air Force was renamed to the Royal Canadian Air Force that had maintained its focus on civil aviation. It later changed its focus to the military participation. Since 1974, the modern Canadian air force is now the Canadian Forces Air Command (ARICOM), many RCAF traditions remain.

Oct 18th, 1929

Persons Case trial win in favor of women

Persons CaseIn the 1920s, five women from Alberta fought a legal and political battle for women to be recognized as persons under the BNA act. In numerous attempts for the federal government to open senate to women, the five women signed a petition to senate asking whether females were persons. On April 24, 1928, they were replied negatively by the Supreme Court of Canada. On October 18, 1929, the British Privy council decision that women were persons and eligible to rights and privileges.

Oct 29th, 1929

Black Tuesday

Black TuesdayBlack Tuesday, often known as the Great Crash, or the Wall Street Crash of 1929 was the most devastating stock market crash in the history of the United Stats, which began a 10 years economic meltdown that affected all the Western industrialized countries. On October 29, 1929, share prices on the New York Stock Exchange plummeted, and continued to fall unstoppably for a full month.

Feb 16th, 1930

William Lyon Mackenzie King delivers his '5 cent speech'

Five Cent SpeechThe Five Cent Speech, given by William Lyon Mackenzie King at the beginning of the Great Depression that social welfare was the responsibility of provinces and that he “would not give them [any prove without a Liberal government] a five-cent price.” As a result on this, it was accepted by many that it was the reason why Liberals had lost the election to the Conservatives, and that Richard Bedford Bennett replaced Mackenzie King as the Prime Minster of Canada.

Aug 7th, 1930

R.B Bennett begins to serve as the Prime Minister of Canada

Rich Bedford BennettBorn on July 3, 1870, Rich Bedford Bennett was a philanthropist, politician, businessman, lawyer, and the 11th Prime minister of Canada. He served from August 7th, 1930 to October 23, 1935, which was during the worst years of the Great Depression. Bennett died from a heart attack while taking a bath on June 26, 1947, one week short of his 77th birthday, without neither a wife, nor children.

Dec 11th, 1931

Statute of Westminster

Statue of WestminsterEstablished on December 11, 1931, the statue of Westminster is an act from the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which established legislative equality for self governing dominions of the United Kingdom and British Empire, with a few exceptions. The Statue would remain domestic law within each of the Commonwealth Nations. This had given the Dominion of Canada equal legislative power as the British Empire.

Apr 4th, 1935

On the Ottawa trek begins

On to Ottawa TrekThe On to Ottawa Trek was a social movement from unemployed men protesting about the terrible conditions in federal relief camps, where they would construct roads and other public works at twenty cents per day. A walkout was called on April 4, 1935, where about 1,600 strikers headed for a 2 month protest in Vancouver, British Columbia, until deciding to travel to Ottawa and facing the federal government. On June 3, 1935, hundreds of men boarded boxcars and so began the 'On To Ottawa Trek.'

Nov 2nd, 1936

CBC - Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is founded

Canadian Broadcasting CorporationCommonly known as CBC, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is a crown corporation that serves as the national public television and radio broadcaster. Founded on November 2nd, 1936, it is the oldest existing broadcasting network in Canada. Launching its radio debut on November 2, 1936 and its television debut on September 6, 1952, CBC/Radio-Canada has offered commercial free programs since 1974 and now has programs in English, French, and eight Aboriginal languages

May 13th, 1939

The voyage of the S.S. St. Louis begins

S.S. St. LouisThe S.S. St. Louis was a German Ocean Liner that was mainly known for its voyage in 1939, where her captain, Gustav Schröder tried to find homes for the 937 German Jewish refugees on board, In an attempt to find refuge for the travelers in Europe, US officials worked with Britain and European nations in order to find the refugees a home away from Nazis. On June 17, The United Kingdom took 288 passengers, France accepted 224, Belgium took 214 passengers, and the Netherlands accepted 181 refugees.

Sep 1st, 1939

Start of World War 2

World War 2Germany invades Poland without warning, creating the start of World War 2.